GEOGRAPHICAL

A liquid aquifer energy storage method by which hot water is collected and stored in underground aquifers during the summer months and made available for heating during winter months. The liquid aquifer energy storage method also allows for the storage of cold water during the winter months for use in...     

A system and method for extracting heat from hot unrefined water and ultimately using this heat to do useful work, while avoiding the danger of damage to heat exchange equipment by scale and corrosion, which is many times attendant on such methods. The hot unrefined water is passed through a housing...     

An apparatus and method of freezing a large volume of ground for tunnel construction and the like utilizing liquified nitrogen is described. The apparatus consists generally of a series of freeze pipes embedded in the ground, each of the freeze pipes consisting of a conductor tube and an inner header...     

This invention relates to an environment control system utilizing the elevation differences and available temperatures on the earth's surface, such as occur in a mountainous region with a nearby valley or a desert. The system includes heat rejection means, as for example, a condenser located at a higher...     

Disclosed are a system and method for extracting heat from hot unrefined water for the purpose of using this heat to do useful work, and specifically for extracting such heat while minimizing the undesirable effects caused by formation of scale and other solid build-up of scale-forming impurities in...     

A cryogenic storage tank characterised by the provision of a space between the outer walls of the tank and the ground surrounding same, and means for introducing heated air into said space at the lower regions thereof for flow upwardly therethrough.

This invention relates to a system for generating power utilizing the elevation differences and available temperatures on the earth's surface, such as occurs in a mountainous region with a nearby valley or desert. The system includes heat rejection means, as for example, a condenser located at a higher...     

A system for the mining of geothermal energy in which a plurality of geothermal wells radiate from a single surface site into a subsurface geothermal reservoir. The wells can be drilled by conventional slant drilling techniques and each may contain a closed end heat exchanger which receives water and...     

An environment heating and cooling system comprising a solar collector, heat storage ground well, cold storage ground well and a heat exchange apparatus. Water from a cold storage ground well is heated in the heat exchange apparatus by solar heating fluid heated in a solar collector. The heated water...     

A geothermal energy transfer and utilization system makes use of thermal energy stored in hot solute-bearing well water to generate super-heated steam from an injected flow of clean water. The super-heated steam is then used for operating a turbine-driven pump at the well bottom for pumping the hot solute-bearing...     

Trafficked surfaces built on foundations which remain substantially undisturbed during seasonal climatic cycles, particularly in permafrost and near permafrost regions where considerable disturbance of the ground beneath foundations is otherwise common. The foundations include combinations of insulation...     

Apparatus and method for recovering resources from subterranean rock formations, particularly heat energy, and more particularly geothermal energy. A heat-drill, which has means associated therewith for removing some rock from the earth and forming other rock into shafts, drills into the earth and forms...     

A flight of steps, stairs and the like heated by means of a heating medium passing through a pipe means located within the steps, stairs etc. The pipe means is located totally within the confines of the step structure and extends in a tortuous path generally longitudinally of the flight of steps. The...     

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, rotatably adjustable elongated cylindrical solar collector plate cells, rotatable around the elongated axis thereof for adjusting angle of incidence of exterior light rays from the sun to the surface of the collector plate, are mounted upon a roof with water...     

A heat storage tank is mounted in a pit in the ground. The pit preferably has four sides and a bottom. A lining of insulating material mounted against the sides of said pit. A water impervious liner tank is mounted against the insulation. A top rests on the contents of the tank. At least one insulating...     

A cold storage tank is mounted in a pit in the ground. An outer plastic sheet barrier lines the pit. A lining of incompressible insulating material lines the interior surface of the outer barrier. An inner plastic sheet barrier lines the interior surfaces of the insulation. A plurality of bags of fresh...     

A heat or cold storage system utilizing a plurality of channels dug directly into the earth and filled with rocks which are used to absorb heat or cold for storage, a part of such storage being the rocks themselves and a (usually much larger) part being the adjacent earth. Conduit connections are provided...     

A subterranean formation is penetrated by a borehole. The formation is fractured and propped with a slurry capable of maintaining a thermit reaction. The slurry is ignited. Upon cooling, a solid metal conductor fin network from the bore into the formation is formed in the fracture system. Energy is transferred...     

An energy accumulator for storing large quantities of heat in the form of superheated water includes an excavation which is divided into upper and lower compartments by a horizontal diaphragm. The lower compartment is filled with superheated water from a heat source such as a nuclear or other steam generating...     

A separable heat pipe assembly for stabilizing the generally frozen soil adjacent and supporting a structural member or foundation in permafrost or similar regions, including a cooperative combination of a sheath installed in the frozen soil and a closely mating heat pipe element normally inserted into...     

A solar heat storage system including in combination a liquid vessel for storing solar energy and solar heat collection means comprising a network of serially connected conductive conduits arranged in a serpentine fashion and coupled to a source of antifreeze in a closed loop, said plurality of conduits...     

Containers of radioactive material are placed in a well, so that the subterranean well lining absorbs much of the radiation from the containers. The heat generated by the radioactive material is transferred through the wall of the container through the wall of a vertically disposed heat tube having a...     

A method for recovering energy from a geothermal reservoir in which brine from the reservoir is first employed to heat an immiscible fluid, such as a hydrocarbon in direct heat exchange and the heated hydrocarbon is then utilized in direct heat exchange to heat a second fluid, such as boiler feed water,...     

A system for the mining of geothermal energy in which a plurality of geothermal wells radiate from a single surface site into a subsurface geothermal reservoir. The wells can be drilled by conventional slant drilling techniques and each may contain a closed end heat exchanger which receives water and...     

A heating system for a building structure is provided in which a heat pump system and at least one solar energy system and one air convector system are used. The solar energy system collects heat during the periods when sun energy is available and the air convector system collects heat when available...     

Down-pumping heat pipes are provided to augment natural earth heat when used in association with conventional or up-pumping heat pipes for the purpose of maintaining an area such as a roadway free of ice and snow.

A system for the mining of geothermal energy in which a plurality of geothermal wells radiate from a single surface site into a subsurface geothermal reservoir. The wells can be drilled by conventional slant drilling techniques and each may contain a closed end heat exchanger which receives water and...     

A method of obtaining geothermal energy from salt formations in which a well is drilled and cased into a suitable salt formation to a depth where the temperature is such that the salt behaves plastically. A weighted, closed end pipe is inserted into the well with its lower, closed end at about the bottom...     

Disclosed are a system for extracting heat from hot unrefined water for the purpose of using this heat to do useful work, and specifically for extracting such heat while minimizing the undesirable effects caused by formation of scale and other solid build-up of scale-forming impurities in the hot unrefined...     

A system for the mining of geothermal energy in which a plurality of geothermal wells radiate from a single surface site into a subsurface geothermal reservoir. The wells can be drilled by conventional slant drilling techniques and each may contain a closed end heat exchanger which receives water and...     

A modular heating section for removing or preventing the formation of ice on the walls of navigation locks, loading docks, ferry slips, or the like. Ice formation on the walls of navigation locks is compressed by successive vessels to the extent that larger vessels are unable to enter the locks. To avoid...     

There is disclosed a method for the production of geothermal brines that avoids depressuring the brine below its flash point in the well bore and thereby avoids the scaling and plugging unavoidably experienced whenever high salt content brines are depressured, releasing carbon dioxide and upsetting their...     

A method for obtaining solar energy in a useful form by utilizing solar ponds, the method comprising direct or indirect contact of hot liquid from the pond with a low boiling point immiscible working fluid for transfer of the heat energy from the liquid to the working fluid. Subsequently, the heated...     

A heat transfer system for melting thick layers of ice advancing toward an object facing the ice are disclosed. Elongated grooves or corrugations are disposed in the exterior surface of the object facing the ice. A heating fluid is circulated in intimate contact with the inside of the grooved surface,...     

Heat exchange takes place between two fluids, namely, mineralized aqueous fluid containing dissolved or dispersed solids or mineral salts and a second fluid, in heat exchange apparatus wherein the surfaces to be contacted by the mineralized aqueous fluid are preferentially oil wettable and substantially...     

Geothermal energy is used to provide the temperatures and pressure necessary for catalytic conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to methanol by lowering the reaction chamber into a geothermal well or by otherwise using geothermal fluids to supply heat and pressure to the reaction chamber.

A concrete slab forming a part of the building structure foundation is thermally insulated about its periphery from the ground upon which it resides from the ground surface to below the ground frost line, with the bottom of the slab in heat transfer relation to the ground below the frost line over a...     

A heat pump system having a vaporizer in heat exchange relationship with a glycol/water circuit which comprises an earth heat absorber and an ambient air heat absorber in parallel.

A system for recovering heat from a geothermal well includes a quantity of heavy drilling mud filling the bottom of the geothermal well. A hollow heat absorber is disposed within the drilling mud in the well bottom. The heat absorber is supplied with a working fluid such as freon through a supply pipe...     

A ground heat exchanger adapted to be buried in the ground and to be used in association with a heat pump system for heating and cooling. The exchanger includes a heat conducting metal plate adapted to be vertically buried in the ground and carrying a fluid circulating coil adapted to be connected to...     

An air convection pile for transferring heat from a medium surrounding the lower end of the pile is disclosed to the colder ambient air. A pipe of sufficient length to extend from the air-medium interface downward into the medium is adapted to be opened to the ambient air near its upper end. A flow dividing...     

Method and apparatus for controlling a well providing access to an underground source of high temperature geothermal brine against flashing as the hot brine is delivered upwardly through the well to surface power apparatus for use of heat from the brine in the generation of electrical power, thereby...     

An antifreezing system for an exterior water pipe servicing a mobile home wherein the mobile home includes a furnace having a forced hot air passage and a cold air return. The system utilizes a hot air closed circuit, thermally insulated, conduit system surrounding the exterior water pipe wherein one...     

Heat exchange takes place between two fluids, namely, mineralized aqueous fluid containing dissolved or dispersed solids or mineral salts and a second fluid, in heat exchange apparatus wherein the surfaces to be contacted by the mineralized aqueous fluid are (1) preferentially oil wettable and (2) substantially...     

A concrete slab forming a part of the building structure foundation is thermally insulated about its periphery from the ground upon which it resides from the ground surface to below the ground frost line, with the bottom of the slab in heat transfer relation to the ground below the frost line over a...     

A home heating and cooling system consisting of a pair of large water tanks and a heat-operated absorption-type refrigeration system disposed between the tanks and operable to transfer heat from one tank to the other. The "hot" tank supplies hot water for operating a hot water home heating system, supplies...     

A heat or cold storage system utilizing a plurality of channels dug directly into the earth and filled with rocks which are used to absorb heat or cold for storage, a part of such storage being the rocks themselves and a (usually much larger) part being the adjacent earth. Conduit connections are provided...     

A compressed-air storage installation comprising a heat accumulator for storing heat contained in compressed air and the air is passed into subterranean caverns. The heat accumulator has partitions therein which are provided between a storage medium. The partitions form a number of air passages through...     

An installation for cultivating plants on a soil, characterized in that it comprises at least one heat-exchanger, each of said exchangers being constituted by an elongated flat flexible hose with a then wall resting on the soil, and feed means for circulating liquid of a preselected regulated temperature...     

Refrigeration apparatus for transferring heat from a space to be cooled to a cooler medium. A refrigerant is circulated from the space to be cooled to the cooler medium picking up heat from the space and transferring it to the cooler medium. Thermal pump apparatus is utilized to circulate the refrigerant...     

A long-period storage accumulator for storing heat water is used as a storing medium. The water is enclosed in large thin-walled containers which are arranged under the ground. The water pressure forces acting on the container walls are carried by the surrounding of the container.

A closed hollow waterproof chamber is disposed below the removable, sectional bottom floor of a building. The chamber is partially filled with water and contains air. The chamber is lined with plastic. A plastic sheet covers the water by resting upon the top surface thereof and is secured to the liner...     

A flare for waste gas disposal by combustion is disclosed particularly suited for use in remote areas such as deserts, where space is not limited and in which the portions of the flare exposed to radiation are of heat resistant material, the remainder of the flare and its supply connections being covered...     

A method for generating electricity wherein a geothermal fluid is produced from a moderate temperature hydrothermal formation and is used to supply sufficient sensible heat to preheat a working fluid, thereby cooling the geothermal fluid. The cool geothermal fluid is preferably reinjected into the hydrothermal...     

A heating and cooling system utilizing solar, or other energy, includes a solar heat collector having fluid ducts connected to the lower portion of a buried fluid thermal unit, which transfers collected heat to an underground storage area. The thermal unit provides fluid convection flow between portions...     

A condenser arrangement having a load bearing member hermetically coupled to the condenser's condensation chamber. Load transfer means are adapted to transfer the condenser vacuum load acting on the load bearing member to the turbine or turbine support in a manner to balance the condenser vacuum load...     

A solar heating system for space air heating of a building has a solar energy collector in air flow communication with underground heat storage structure. The collector has an elongated frame defining a plurality of air passages. A plurality of solar energy absorption panels are arranged in ascending...     

Minerals are recovered from warm geothermal brines by installing a brine eductor device such as a venturi at the end of a thermally insulated drill casing. The geothermal brine is recovered by flowing a warm, low saline carrier solution at high flow rate through the device to pick up a selected flow...     

A living apparatus comprises a first reservoir within the ground surface of circular form and having a quantity of water therein. A building having a roof and a peripheral side wall of circular form is concentrically nested and spaced within said reservoir. A convex hull is peripherally connected and...     

An underwater system for confining large volumes of liquids comprising an elongated sock-like closed container immersed in a body of water. The container has thin flexible sidewalls and is provided with an opening located adjacent the water surface. It is contemplated that the system will be used for...     

The present invention relates to a heating and cooling system for structures such as residential dwellings. More particularly, the heating and cooling system includes one or more conduits disposed approximately six (6) feet underground and having opposite end extremities communicatively connected to...     

A system for transmitting, storing and utilizing cold which includes the use of heat pipes for transmitting the winter cold to freeze the ground water storage, and two-phase flow pipes to effectively cool the warm air passing through the flow pipes in the air conditioning duct. The system provides for...     

Petroleum is distilled into fractions and/or cracked to form gas and/or lighter oil fractions by pumping the oil into the boiler section of a unit disposed in a hot, deep, subterranean geothermal zone. The distillation can be aided by forming steam from the geothermal heat as a thermal carrier.

The heating system of the present invention includes a compressor for compressing and heating refrigerant. The pressurized, heated refrigerant is passed through a first heat exchanger which is coupled to a container of water. A pump circulates water from the container through the first heat exchanger...     

A heat exchange element for solar heating is made of a solidified material such as concrete, cement, ceramic or resin bonded particulate material. Internal ducting is provided by embedded pipes or within the material itself. In the latter case a former is removed after the material is set, and this may...     

A storage system for heat and cold exchange with a fluid from a solar collector. The system comprises a large block of earth material which is defined at its outer perimeter by a trench. The block of earth material has an outer zone of vertically downwardly extending channels into the block of earth...     

An earth type heat pump having a heat exchanger including an evaporator coil and a compressor, condenser, receiver and expansion valve in series with the evaporator coil for delivering heat picked up at the heat exchanger from the condenser, and heat pickup tubes positioned vertically in the earth and...     

An underground conduit extends through the soil in two parallel stretches and connects at one end with a return duct and at the opposite end to the air intake of a heating and cooling unit. The return air duct may be closed off by a damper so that the return air is diverted through the underground conduit....     

Method and apparatus for utilizing the earth as a heat source and heat sink for heating and cooling buildings are disclosed. Flexible material such as hollow plastic or metal foil bags which can be buried in deep, narrow trenches are draped over and clamped to heat transfer fluid conduits or conventional...     

A method and apparatus for thermal storage having a movable manifold which discharges thermal transfer fluid to trickle through a particulate solid thermal storage medium to be collected for distribution or recirculation in a manner such as to establish a vertical thermocline within said thermal storage...     

A geothermal energy system in which a bore hole is drilled into the earth to a depth where a predetermined temperature gradient exists between the earth's surface and the bottom of said bore hole. A liquid refrigerant line passes down the bore hole and connects to an evaporator where the geothermal energy...     

Disclosed is a thermal inverter arrangement and method for controlling air temperatures and currents within a building utilizing an underground plenum chamber having a plurality of transverse screens with thermal conducting poles attached thereto. Through the use of thermal differentials and an exhaust...     

The heat sink underlays the structure served and comprises a shallow permeable layer near the surface through which water is circulated and the earth mass below it with which heat is exchanged by conduction and by controlled steady seepage and recycled by pumping from a deep level and by thermal conduction...     

A livestock waterer is described which is automatically heated through use of geothermal energy within the earth. Working fluid is housed within a reservoir below the surface of the earth, is heated to evaporation by geothermal heat, is transferred to a condensation chamber adjacent a water container,...     

An underground air tempering system for warming the supply air to a building in the winter and cooling the supply air in the summer in which a heat exchanger containing heat transfer material is disposed beneath the surface of the ground and the air supply to the building is drawn through the heat exchanger...     

The geothermal system for conditioning air includes a heat pump (10) of the liquid-to-air type and an improved heat sink (40) in heat exchange relationship with the subterranean water system of the earth and connected to the heat pump through a liquid circulating system. The heat sink includes an elongate...     

An absorption type air conditioning system in which a solar collector is used integrally to heat and strip refrigerant from the mixture of absorbent and refrigerant to eliminate a separated hot water or other heat transfer medium cycle as normally employed between the solar collector and the stripper...     

A combination earth heat exchanger and heat storage device for a heat pump system in which the earth is the heat source/sink. The device includes an elongated, hermetically-sealed enclosure containing a phase change material which is in thermal contact with both the primary heat transfer fluid and the...     

Method and apparatus for utilizing the earth as a heat source and heat sink for heating and cooling buildings are disclosed. Flexible material such as hollow plastic or metal foil bags which can be buried in deep, narrow trenches are draped over and clamped to heat transfer fluid conduits or conventional...     

A heating and cooling system utilizing solar, or other energy, includes a solar heat collector having fluid ducts connected to the lower portion of a buried fluid thermal unit, which transfers collected heat to an underground storage area. The thermal unit provides fluid convection flow between portions...     

A multi-stage flash degaser (18) is incorporated in an energy conversion system (10) having a direct-contact, binary-fluid heat exchanger to remove essentially all of the noncondensable gases from geothermal brine ahead of the direct-contact binary-fluid heat exchanger (22) in order that the heat exchanger...     

A system for transmitting, storing and utilizing cold which includes the use of heat pipes for transmitting the winter cold to cool the anti-freezing liquid in the ground cold storage which in turn freeze the water bags installed in the cold storage. When the complete air-conditioning system in a cooling...     

A method for removing frost from a selected area of the ground in accordance with one aspect of the invention involves positioning a plurality of hollow pipes over the area to be thawed, each pipe having an exhaust end and an inlet end. These pipes and the immediately adjacent ground areas, save for...     

Apparatus and method for extracting potable water are disclosed in preferred form as extracting drinking water from moisture-laden air at atmospheric temperature through the use of a heat exchanger at or near subsurface temperature which is in air communication with the atmosphere for allowing atmospheric...     

A heat pipe device has been developed which permits completely passive ice formation and periodic release of ice without requiring the ambient temperature to rise above the melting point of water. This passive design enables the maximum amount of cooling capacity to be stored in the tank.

An energy conversion system employing a heat transducer and a set of heat exchange earth fields. The connection of the fields to the heat transducer is controllably variable. The fields are used to extract or dissipate heat according to whether a heating or cooling effect is desired. The heat gain, or...     

The support has a filling of insulating concrete which fills the space between the foundation slab and sand support layer. A cold sink formed of horizontal pipes laid in the main wind direction is encased in a middle region of the support. An impermeable film is placed over the cold sink and about the...     

A method and equipment for increasing the efficiency of a heat pump is the subject of the present invention. The method comprises providing an underground pathway for air travel, forcing a quantity of air through the pathway for operation of the heat pump, and directing air emanating from the underground...     

Cooling of electronic components, positioned downhole in a high temperature environment in a deep well, is achieved by a thermoelectric cooling system within a long vacuum insulated dewar flask which encompasses the electronic components and the cooling system. The electronic components are directly...     

An assembly that harnesses solar power for diverse applications. The principal application utilizes three closed loop elements for operating an air conditioning system. The first loop is a brine-carrying conduit, said brine being heated in a solar collector. The heat of said brine is exchanged, in a...     

A system for generating energy and extracting minerals from the ocean. The system preferably comprises an underwater chamber adapted to intake cold water at the floor of the ocean and which, for energy generating purposes performs electrolysis. The chamber communicates via a conduit system with a submerged...     

An earth/block air preconditioner for use in dwellings and other buildings wherein the outside air is drawn below ground and passed through concrete blocks which are preformed with a pair of openings so that the outside air and inside air from the building are in close proximity so as to heat the outside...     

A horizontal in-ground heat exchanger is disclosed which comprises an input line, a return line and a plurality of heat exchanger pipes connected between the input and return lines. The heat exchanger pipes are divided into a plurality of groups, each including several pipes. An input manifold is connected...     

A long-period storage accumulator for storing heat water is used as a storing medium. The water is enclosed in large thin-walled containers which are arranged under the ground. The water pressure forces acting on the container walls are carried by the surrounding of the container.

A system for transmitting, storing and utilizing cold which includes the use of either natural cold ambient air or mechanical refrigeration equipment for transmitting cold air to freeze water in containers installed in the cold storage chamber. When an air-conditioning system in a cooling environment...     

A system for transmitting, storing and utilizing cold which includes the use of mechanical refrigeration equipment for tramsmitting cold to cool anti-freezing liquid in a cold storage chamber which in turn freezes water in bags installed in the cold storage chamber. When an air-conditioning system in...     

An air-conditioner control system for vehicles which is responsive to a condition in the compartment of a vehicle to move an air-flow controlling damper in an air duct. When the supply mode of conditioned air is a heater supply mode and when it is detected that the level of insolation in the vehicle...     

Apparatus and method for extracting potable water are disclosed in preferred form as extracting drinking water from moisture-laden air at atmospheric temperature through the use of a heat exchanger at or near subsurface temperature which is in air communication with the atmosphere for allowing atmospheric...     

An energy efficient housing structure combines the desirable features of earth coupling with an outer air circulation envelope which is further combined with a chase or main air circulation conduit extending from the earth-coupled section of the envelope into the roof section. Solar heat is transmitted...     

A system for extending the operational life of the reinjection system of a geothermal power plant energized by high temperature, high silica content geothermal brine from a source such as the Salton Sea geothermal field or the Brawley geothermal field. The stream of geothermal brine which flows through...